Beers, Brats & Bras = Good Times

Despite the cold, we had a fantastic turnout for our Beers, Brats and Bras event on Sunday!   It is always so fun to have the store full of men and we really appreciated the support for The Morgan Adams Foundation.   

I hope each of you had a love filled Valentine's Day!
xoxo,
Cindy

Designer Highlight: AUBADE

"Women have power within, and Aubade wants to bring it out. 

Their images are seductive; never demeaning. 

Their intent is always to empower." 

Aubade, pronounced "oh-bod," has two lovely meanings; a morning song, or a poem of lovers separating at dawn.

Aubade's "So Vintage" set. So perfect.

Aubade has been making stunning lingerie for 103 years. The company's ideals and entire mission are founded on defining the Art of Love through lingerie. Along the way they have never forgotten fit, quality and purpose.

View Aubade's 2012 Spring and Summer collections here.

In their words, "Seduction meets fit meets function."

Aubade was the first company to design a matching set about thirty years ago. Before then, bras and panties were considered separates. Do you see now why I hold them so dear?

Eighteen years ago, Aubade started their Lessons in Seduction series. For Aubade, a photograph is not just a photograph. Each one has a sentiment. A personality. They recognize that women have power within and they want to help bring that power out into the open.


Their images are seductive, but never demeaning. "From the outset this campaign has revered the female body, in a gallery of spirited postures to be read every which way; as a sage, seductress, confessor, friend and lover. The Aubade woman is empowerd from within; she cherishes, tantalizes, bewitches, listens and stirs up trouble when necessary - as captured in the famous photos brimming with intent, saucy winks, double-entendre and playful puns."


Aubade has even translated their Lessons in Seduction from print to video that I think you're going to love as much as I do. Sit back and enjoy their playful Lessons in Seduction video. It will make you smile, inspire you...give you some great ideas...

Why do we SOL Girls love Aubade? Well. To start with, they have the most beautiful models on the planet. There is a magic behind an Aubade set. Women who wear it, love it. I feel incredibly sexy in Aubade. Just choosing it out of the drawer makes me tingle. There is simple power in it. The designers intentionally create a collection that gives something back women who wear it. And something extra special to the person who sees her wearing it.

Aubade's "French Kiss." Aptly named.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner - many of us will choose our favorite Aubade to put on that day. Not necessarily for anyone else, just because of how it makes us feel.


xoxo,
Cindy

Inspiration in Italia

The Italian countryside.

Buon giorno! I've just returned from the final leg of our European vacation. Todd, Bella and I spent the last week in Italy.  

Gelato in Pisa! Yum!

While Paris is unsurpassed when it comes to lingerie I love, my heart lies in Italy! As soon as we landed in Pisa I felt a lightening of my spirit! 

Thank goodness Todd was there, it nearly fell over.

Did you know the original inspiration for the store came from my time spent in Italy the year before Todd and I married? 

Sole!

Five years after our trip, as I was dreaming about the interior design for the store, I was brought back to the gardens with elaborate fountains, the warm ocher colors of the buildings, and the zest for life Italians have.

Love those colors. Love that face.

The store was modeled after an Italian garden. 

The fountain outside a train station. Beauty everywhere!

The floor at SOL was designed to look like a stone path leading you into a secret world. The fountain, pillars and foliage were to bring the garden inside.  

View of Firenze. Can't you just imagine all the lovely hidden secret places here?

I have been told over the years that coming into the store is pleasingly tranquil...and for some, it can be as special as spending time at a spa. That was my hope from the beginning!

Sunset from the Duomo of Florence Cathedral.

I wanted to bring a little bit of the magic of Italy into our everyday Denver lives. I am so happy to be coming back to my Denver life after feeling renewed and inspired by my adventures in Pisa and Florence.

Michelangelo's David in bronze.

I believe that Galileo, Botticelli and Michelangelo were men of sheer genius. I feel fortunate that in a time of technology I had a chance to look back at amazing discoveries of the heavens and the arts.  

A Virgo on Galileo's Star Calendar.

 Beauty is all around us. We just need to look for it.

Ciao, 

The Johnson Familia

Midnight in Paris

Good night - it's midnight in Paris!

Woody Allen has always been the perfect match for Jeanie's movie tastes. For me, he hasn't always been spot on. That is, until recently. We watched Midnight in Paris before we left and I suddenly "got it." I've imagined so many of the scenes from the movie in moments this week.

This trip has taken my breath away - care to share some special moments with me?

The girls at a full run approaching the gates of Disneyland Paris.

Can you remember the magic of sheer and utter joy?

True Love! Princes and Princesses have nothing on sisters and cousins.

Their tails are made out of springs!

Bella:  Go ahead, risk it! Ask for his autograph!
Elliot: Please, please Mr. Tigger, will you sign my autograph book?


An excellent life lesson - take risks...but do it politely!

Disneyland Celebrity Sighting!

Palais Royal - Family Sighting!

The girls rested and we were off to Saint Chapelle on Ile de la Cite. Breathtaking, and a terrific spot for an afternoon date with my husband.

Remarkable.

I want a room like this.

So cute in his beret.

Glad I choose boots over heels...

Back to Opera Garnier! Beautiful things are worth a second stop.

The detail is incredible.

Another family sighting! I love these people.

It's a small world after all!

Whether in Paris or Pisa (my last stop before we return to Denver) there is magic all around! It's been delightful sharing my week with you all. What an exquisite life.

xoxo,
Cindy

More from Paris - Guest post from Jocelyn

Today's post is from Jocelyn, the amazing Buyer at SOL. She's been with us on several Paris trips and she not only makes it more fun to be here, she's a whiz at spotting trends so I love to have her around. She's a trooper, too - she's been battling the flu but still managed to smile and take in everything the show and the city has to offer. Enjoy!

xoxo, Cindy

It is wonderful to be back in Paris!

As soon as I get to Paris, I like to make time for a walk. It is the best way to jump right in and get inspired by this magical city. You get to feel the cobblestone under your feet, see the amazing architecture and smell the aromas coming from the bistros. It also helps keep the jet-lag at bay! My walk led me to Galleries Lafayette where they are having their annual sale (Coincidence? I think not!) I headed straight to the third floor to their huge lingerie department and scooped up two bra and panty sets from Antinea, one of my favorites.

The next morning we are off to Salon International de laLingerie. Each time I arrive at SIL, I am struck by how vast it is. Panties as far as the eye can see! There are brands from all over the world represented at this show. It is so inspiring to see what is new and to imagine how it will fit back in to SOL and be just the right thing for each of you. One of the big trends this year for autumn is patterns – from florals to stripes to polka dots and beyond. (You all are good! We've been asking our Facebook followers what they prefer and patterns have been the overall winner!) Another trend that is everywhere is retro lingerie styling – think 1950s, in a good way. And for color, it is rich jewel-tones as well as subtle nudes.

Our vendor appointments this year were really special because we got to meet some of the people responsible for the designs. At LiseCharmel, we met one of their new designers who showed us several new styles.

I love meeting my lingerie colleagues from around the world.

At Van de Velde, we had the pleasure of meeting the brand managers for both Prima Donna and Marie Jo. They were very interested in hearing what our customers love about the brands, and they wanted to know what could make these brands even better (is that possible?!) We also got to meet two of the designers at Aubade. It was so great to meet the people behind that perfectly fitting bra, that dazzling color combination, and that just right little bow.

Bruce and I exploring my favorite city.

I am inspired. I am ready to come back to SOL and bring a little bit of Paris back to share with you!
-Jocelyn

Tough Buying Decisions in Paris

We. Are. Pooped. This trip to Paris has been as whirlwind just like all the others. It has been great giving the grand tour to our SOL Man, and we are looking forward to a little extra time at the end of this trip to enjoy ourselves.


We are not finished yet telling you about all our adventures in Paris, but we have a lot to write so they will come over the next few days.  

Many thanks to our loyal Facebook followers, who have helped us for the past couple of days make some buying decisions! We've learned that polka dots trump paisley, and when given the option, you guys love stripes over solids any day.


So. Now we're faced with one of the toughest decision of the whole trip. 

What to have for dessert.

Because when you're in Paris at the world's largest lingerie show and you're faced with having to choose between this....

and this....

there's only one real way to make the decision.

Order both.



Also today,  our beautiful daughters arrived in the City of Lights.  Though it was hard to see them through our exhausted, happy, dessert-filled tears of joy, there was truly never a more lovely sight in Paris than this.

Jeanie's mini-me and the world-traveler Bella - and the Eiffel Tower on a stick!

We are not leaving you yet - there is one or two more blogs left in us, but we are making sure they are spectacular.

xoxo,
Cindy

The SOL Man at Paris Lingerie Show

Today, my wonderful brother-in-law and SOL Operations Director speaks up about his first trip to the amazing Paris Lingerie Show... take it away, SOL Man!
xoxo, Cindy

My first visit to the Salon International de la Lingerie (four football fields of every mans dream, beautiful women in lingerie) actually started in Ghent, Belgium. It is home to Van de Velde, the manufacturers of Prima Donna and Marie Jo.

As you can see, it is a place right out of the Middle Ages!

My hosts cold not have been more gracious. I have really been treated like royalty - from extraordinary meals with Belgian beer to introductions to many of our Canadian colleagues and tours of the city. But the most important tour I took was of the Van de Velde distribution center. As SOL's Operations Director, I now fully understand the level of detail and expertise that goes into EVERY product they make. It's actually hard to fathom how they can design, create and deliver such quality lingerie for $150 or less! I can assure you that my time with them means that your bras will get to you even more quickly now.

My dreams come true.

I am jaded - everyday, I am surrounded by beautiful lingerie and beautiful women. You would think that I wouldn't blink an eye at seeing a show like this...but this just upped the ante by 1000! Imagine four or five football fields covered with gorgeous lingerie AND stunning lingerie models. 

As an example, here are two of the personable and lovely models from Marie Jo. Which bra do you like better? Go to our Facebook page and tell us which you'd want to see at SOL...and in your lingerie drawer.

Man, I love this job.

You can see I'm perfectly at home here at Salon International de la Lingerie. I'm headed out now to enjoy a delicious meal at Restaurant Maison Blanche with Cindy, Jeanie and Inge Van Hecke, the North American Sales Manager of Marie Jo and Prima Donna.

Today we had the opportunity to review all of Fall/Winter 2012.   Now I know all the items that I will be getting over to the floor for you.  It was also great to see where Cindy gets some of her creative inspiration for our ad campaigns.  I can't wait to see what Cindy is plotting for the next one.


Until then, head over to Facebook where we'll be posting more of what we're seeing here in Paris!


Over and out,
Bruce, the SOL Man